BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER - Interview with Nicholas Brendon

Q: How does it feel? You’re one of the founding members of this entire institution of pop culture?

BRENDON: Right, of pop culture.

Q: Looking back, what are your thoughts?

BRENDON:I’ve been through so many phases of my life since I first got the show.It’s been six years now. I got married, went through a couple of relationships.It’s really weird to think that it’s been six years. It was my firstacting job, really. I was kind of learning as I went. I didn’t know whata mark was, you know, camera left, camera right. So I just kinda had fun, really.

Q: How do you feel about the character’s evolution in these six years? How do you feel about Xander today?

BRENDON: It’s exactly where it should (be). I think Xander’s the only character that stayed true to the pilot. Where everyone else got superpowers or (are) really gay, I’m the only character that is just a normal guy. I’m normal guy in the show of extraordinary characters. You kind of feel weird because people buy into it, like, when you have powers. So I’m that guy that’s kind of like… and then there’s Xander, the guy who says the jokes. You don’t see lightening bolts coming out of my eyes and doing spells, so it’s very strange. It’s like that guy who’s kind of just under the radar a little bit.

Q: And now you’re getting married.

BRENDON: Getting married, yeah. Airs tonight.

Q: How do you think it’s going to change the dynamic of the character?

Q: How aware are you of the impact of this show? It’s important to a lot of people.

BRENDON: Oh, completely, yeah. The fans, it’s fantastic, the fact that you can bring joy to so many people. Just with one medium, you reach 5 or 6 million people—make them laugh, make them cry, but take them away from if they had a bad day, then you’re a part of making their day better.

Q: How aware are you of the legacy of the series? What do you think is going to happen after “BUFFY” finishes its first run on network television?

BRENDON: Gee, I don’t know. I don’t think that far in advance. I just got married six months ago. If I had that much brainpower, I’ll think of my wife.

Q: What do you think the final legacy of the series is going to represent? It’s a benchmark series in a lot of ways.

BRENDON: Yeah, yeah, it’s so hard to say. It’s gonna change TV. It already has. I think that the girl power thing is here to stay for awhile, instead of the dumb blonde going into the alley to get killed, she’s going to come out of the alley. It’s hard to say. I think we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Q: What advice would you give Xander about married life?

BRENDON: Oh, well my experience and my character’s experience are completely different. I really can’t give him a place, because I probably wouldn’t have gotten engaged in the first place if I were Xander. It’s hard to say, ‘cause I’m very much in love, and I think Xander and Anya have a lot of passion.

Q: To say the least.

BRENDON: Yes, the sex is fantastic.

Q: Did you actually entertain working full time at acting?

BRENDON: Oh, God no.

Q: No?

BRENDON: No, it was just to get by in the moment to figure out what I was going to do with my life. Had to eat and pay the rent, you know. Be responsible.

Q: Do you ever think about giving up acting?

BRENDON: Well, I gave it up. I started acting when I was 20 ‘cause I had a stutter, so I went to kind of calm those demons. I acted for about two years and did some commercials and then I quit because I couldn’t stand the politics in Hollywood. Then I quit for 3 years to go back to school and to study medicine. I couldn’t do that, so I was a PA on “DAVE’S WORLD” and just kind of working in Hollywood. I got fired from that, so I decided to try acting again. I was just much more calm and had a really good time doing it. So I booked a show. The reason why I got into acting was ‘cause of my stutter that I had when I was a kid.

Q: Do you still have time for life?

BRENDON: Oh, yeah. Some days I’ll have like four or five day weekends, so my wife and I will leave town and drive to Santa Barbara. There’s a lot of time for life, still. On those 16 hour days, you don’t think that there is.

Q: How do you deal with the rabid fan base?

BRENDON: I have a twin brother. I just send him out. He just goes out and deals with it. I just stay at home.

Q: What are the consequences for him?

BRENDON: He gets laid. (laughs) It’s kind of bothersome for him. It’s been 5, 6 years now, so he’s used to it.

Q: What’s been your favorite episode?

BRENDON: I think the musical. It was so much fun to do. It was so different; we knew that we were doing something so completely different.

Q: What keeps you motivated? After six seasons on a series, it must get kind of like—

BRENDON: Well, Fox pays my check. They sign my check, so you gotta. And it’s acting. We get paid to pretend. I don’t see a better job than that. I’m not in acting class, we’re not having the fake props, we have the whole thing around us.

Q: Is there a family dynamic with the series? You guys have been together for so long now.

BRENDON: Oh yeah. We’re like brothers and sisters. Me, Sarah, and Alyson have been together for 5, 6 years now. Tony’s going to be coming back and forth, but he’s like a big brother, so yeah.

Q: Do you guys socialize outside of work?

BRENDON: When we can. There are birthday parties and stuff. Usually, we’re so exhausted, we’re just happy to spend time with our significant others, yeah.

Q: How do you keep it light?

BRENDON: We fart a lot. Do a lot of farting. People love flatulence humor, seriously. (laughs) Tony Head, actually, ‘cause he’s not here.

Q: After all is said and done—the DVD will give you more exposure beyond, how do you reconcile that fact, that “BUFFY” is going to be a part of your life indefinitely?

BRENDON: I think it’s fantastic. I feel very, very blessed for this show to have found me. It gave me a great opportunity to realize my passion before I knew it was my passion. I’ll never have any ill feelings for the show, and it’s fantastic. Long life “BUFFY!” Hopefully it runs forever and ever until I’m gone and dead, six feet under.

Q: How long will you be carrying on?

BRENDON: Huh?

Q: How long will you be carrying on?

BRENDON: This show? We’re contracted with the network until at least next season. There’s this season and next season, and after that I’ll leave it to the Gods.